


misty mornings & clear night skies

by changingshadows



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band), TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Early Mornings, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, Protectiveness, Strangers to Lovers, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:15:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28761651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/changingshadows/pseuds/changingshadows
Relationships: Kang Seulgi/Yoo Jeongyeon
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	misty mornings & clear night skies

Dawn was always an interesting time of day for Jeongyeon. Well, morning.

She always found herself awake at an ungodly hour, and without fail she would pull back her curtains and gaze into the sky. Sometimes cloudy, sometimes completely clear. Aimlessly, she'd stare at the billions of stars in the boundless navy blue and see how many she could count before she got bored. It would usually only last thirty seconds. Then she would climb out of bed, throw on the first thing she could find in her wardrobe, not caring if it didn't match, then slip on her shoes and go for an early morning walk.

A _very_ early morning walk. Today was like every other day. She checked the time on her phone: 5:04.

Jeongyeon didn't know why she liked taking walks _this_ early in the morning. Her favourite time of year to do it was autumn and winter. Sure it was colder, but she enjoyed that somewhat. Wrapping up warm and stepping into the brisk, dawn air brought calm to Jeongyeon every time she did it. If it rained, she simply put her hood up to shield herself.

Not forgetting to lock her door, she stuffed her keys into her pocket and began taking a stroll. The streetlights were still on of course. They cast a brilliant orange hue everywhere she went. No matter where she turned, there was always a light guiding her way.

It was slightly misty out, she could see the fog in front of the lights. Chilling, yet oddly captivating. Like the fog always held something mysterious, yet it was always something to be mindful of.

Cars were already on the road, people driving to their early morning shifts or people who just wanted to avoid the rush hour. Jeongyeon didn't own a car. If she wanted to get somewhere, she either walked or used the subway. That was just fine for her.

Stepping out of her neighbourhood and towards the centre of the town she lived in, she took in her surroundings like she had never seen them before, despite passing through the centre every day. Something about the atmosphere changed throughout the day, like it was dependent on what hour you saw it in.

During the fifth hour, it was tranquil, yet a slight sense of urgency milled about thanks to the drivers. It wasn't as prevalent as it would be during the seventh or eighth hour, and it had a different sense of calm as opposed to what it was like during the evening.

The sky was brilliantly clear, and Jeongyeon could see every star above her. The moon was in the distance, a beautiful, bright crescent moon. The mist made the air a little damp, and the breeze that swept over her every so often made her clutch the top part of her coat to bring both sides together and protect her neck. Without warning, she caught herself staring at the stars, and she began counting again.

_One, two, three, four…_

"Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

The voice made Jeongyeon tilt her head down.

In front of her, she saw a woman with dark brown hair that went down past her shoulders and was pushed to one side. They made eye contact and the stranger smiled.

Jeongyeon had never had such an encounter on her early morning walks.

"Uh, y-yes!" she stammered, half due to the cold and half due to a bizarre feeling of nervousness.

The stranger let out a small inward chuckle and moved to pass Jeongyeon, whose short blonde hair was flowing in the wind that had since picked up speed.

Once they were opposite one another, the woman stopped. "I love it when I can see the stars. I like to count them." She eyed Jeongyeon softly. "Do you?"

Jeongyeon's mouth wired shut for a few split seconds. She attributed it to the cold. "Yeah. Yeah I do." Looking up, she saw the tiny seeds of light sitting perfectly in the blue and smiled a little. "There's so many of them."

The woman opposite also glanced up. "That there are." Her tone was wistful, like she longed to gather the stars in her hands. Eyes panning back down, she asked Jeongyeon, "Do you live far from here?"

Jeongyeon looked at her once again. "Not at all. You?"

The stranger shook her head, "I don't either." She pointed to an office block some distance from where they were standing. "I work over there."

"Oh?" Jeongyeon raised an eyebrow. "I work in the bakery just down there."

Following Jeongyeon's finger, the stranger said, "Ah! I've been in that bakery many times. I don't think I've ever seen you."

"Oh, uh, I don't really work behind the counter. I stay in the kitchen making the food."

"That would explain it. I really like the food at the bakery by the way. Especially your sandwiches. And your chocolate and banana muffins? Incredible."

"Ha, thank you," Jeongyeon smiled widely at the compliment. The two stood in silence for a few seconds. "What's uh...what's your name?"

Immediately, Jeongyeon wanted to kick herself.

"Seulgi. You?" Seulgi grinned.

"Jeongyeon," she replied.

"Nice to meet you, Jeongyeon. Now I can properly thank you for the amazing food."

Jeongyeon's eyes found the floor as she laughed a little. Glancing back up, they both found themselves in another state of awkwardness. "Um…" Jeongyeon bit the inside of her lip. "It was my birthday a few days ago. I turned twenty-four."

"Oh! Happy belated birthday," Seulgi smiled. Jeongyeon, again, wanted to kick herself, but Seulgi found it endearing the way Jeongyeon wanted to break the ice. Jeongyeon thanked her for the message. "My birthday's not until February. I'll be twenty-seven."

"Well, if I don't see you then, happy birthday!" They both laughed, and it filled the air and seemed to clear the fog surrounding them. The awkwardness seemed to no longer be present. All that was left was a certain shyness that rested in their gazes.

"I should uh, head off," Seulgi sighed, not really wanting their conversation to end. Strangely, Jeongyeon was overcome with the same level of disappointment. "I need to get back and get ready for work."

"That's fair," Jeongyeon nodded.

"But, I'll pay a visit to the bakery beforehand!" Seulgi then said, excited at the prospect.

"That'd be… That'd be nice." Jeongyeon's smile was much wider, and she watched as Seulgi began backing away.

"You open at eight, right?" Jeongyeon nodded. "Awesome. I'll uh, I'll see you then!"

"See you then!"

The two of them exchanged one final glance before they turned their backs and headed home.

Arriving home at the exact same time, they both pressed their backs against the door.

Beneath the streetlight during a misty dawn, two strangers met.

And the blush in their cheeks was certainly not the work of the chill in the air.

\--

"Good morning, what can I get ya?"

Seulgi always felt welcomed by that voice. It came from a tattooed woman with short blonde hair who wore black trousers and a blue polo shirt with a name tag that said _Chaeyoung._

"An americano and a chocolate and banana muffin to take away please." Seulgi pulled out her purse as Chaeyoung pressed a few buttons on the till then grabbed a bag for the muffin.

The bakery was a quaint place, independently owned by Jeongyeon and ran by her and Chaeyoung, who Jeongyeon saw as a younger sister. Seulgi always took the time to admire the interior design of the place, with pictures adorning the walls and shelves filled with plants and books. Not to mention, there were fairy lights everywhere.

As Chaeyoung grabbed the muffin with a pair of tongs and put it in the bag, Jeongyeon appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. Once Seulgi met her eyes they both smiled. "Hey," Seulgi said.

"Hi," Jeongyeon replied. Chaeyoung eyed them both suspiciously as she moved to the coffee machine to make the americano. Stepping forward, Jeongyeon eyed the paper bag and said, "Chocolate and banana muffin?"

"Heh, you know it," Seulgi replied.

"Have you paid for it?"

"Not yet."

"No need. It's on the house."

Chaeyoung nearly dropped the cup she was holding. A look of shock swept across Seulgi's face.

"I insist," Jeongyeon said. Turning on the spot, Chaeyoung leaned against the counter and folded her arms. After a moment of hesitation, Seulgi thanked Jeongyeon and put her purse back. Jeongyeon smiled in return, saying it was no problem, before looking at Chaeyoung and urging her to finish the americano. Chaeyoung did so, but not before giving Jeongyeon a look that mixed disapproval with a want to giggle uncontrollably.

Rolling her eyes, Jeongyeon turned her attention back to Seulgi. "So, how are you?"

"Not too bad. I can tell it's gonna be a busy day. You?"

"I'm alright. This place doesn't get _super_ busy, but it's Friday so there'll be more customers than usual."

Putting the lid on the coffee cup, Chaeyoung turned and set it down in front of Seulgi. She then handed her the paper bag with the muffin inside and smiled. Taking both items, Seulgi smiled and said, "Thank you. Bye."

"Bye, Seulgi," said Jeongyeon.

They gave each other one final look as Seulgi left the bakery behind.

As soon as she was gone, Chaeyoung's jaw dropped as she turned to stare at the woman beside her. "What was _that_ about? What's going on? Is she your girlfriend? Are you dating? If not, what the _fuck?"_

"Okay, Chae, calm down." Jeongyeon passed the younger woman to wipe the counter and Chaeyoung spun around.

"Calm down? You serious? Who _was_ that?"

"Her name is Seulgi and we met--"

"Don't tell me. You met her during one of your dawn walks, didn't you?"

"Correct. In fact, earlier this morning."

"Oh my _God._ I bet it was super romantic, wasn't it?"

"It was a misty morning--"

"That makes it _ten_ times better!"

"Would you shut up?" Jeongyeon turned back to Chaeyoung to ask. Chaeyoung rolled her eyes and exhaled, crossing her arms. In a few minutes, Jeongyeon told her what had happened.

"Wow. That is a scene out of a rom-com, Jeong, you've _gotta_ stop watching those cheesy films."

"You can talk," Jeongyeon snorted, heading back to the kitchen. Chaeyoung immediately felt offended, then let out a loud _hmph_ before going back to the till.

A few minutes passed. "You gonna ask for her number?"

"Slow down, Chae, I not long ago met her."

"And yet you gave her a muffin _and_ an americano for _free."_

Jeongyeon stopped kneading the bread dough in front of her to think. It was a chance meeting. An encounter she'd never had. And it made her smile to think about.

It was enough to take Chaeyoung's suggestion into consideration.

"I'll think about it."

Chaeyoung smirked. Shook her head.

The day carried on as normal.

\--

A few taps on Seulgi's desk brought her out of her daydream. "You okay? You seem a little distracted."

"Huh, what?" Seulgi glanced up to see her co-worker, Sooyoung. "Oh, hi Sooyoung. I'm fine."

"Good, now quit daydreaming. The boss won't be very happy."

"Who says I was daydreaming?"

"It's written clearly on your face when you're daydreaming," Sooyoung said as she walked away. Seulgi let out a small groan then stared at the paper bag, containing a muffin she hadn't eaten yet.

She couldn't let the coffee go cold, but for some reason couldn't bring herself to eat the muffin.

Taking it out of its bag, she rested it on top and stared at it like it was a piece of art.

In effect, it was.

Seulgi knew that Jeongyeon worked hard, possibly alongside Chaeyoung as well, to make all of the baked goods themselves. Every single piece was handmade. The chocolate muffin was baked with chocolate chips and was topped with exactly three thin slices of banana. There was a light banana flavour in the muffin itself too, and it was an amazing combination that Seulgi loved, which was why she bought one once a week.

Something about having received this one for free made Seulgi not want to touch it. She felt it wasn't right to not pay for something made so meticulously that took a long time to put together.

_It's on the house._

_I insist._

With a loud sigh, Seulgi muttered, "If you insist," before lifting up the muffin, pulling away the paper case and taking a large bite. Crumbs fell onto the bag and she hummed. It had a delicious taste, and she savoured every last bit before throwing away the rubbish and getting back to work.

She smiled. Thought of Jeongyeon again. Smiled harder.

"Thank you, Jeongyeon," she whispered to herself.

\--

Another day came to an end. Chaeyoung switched the sign on the door from _open_ to _closed_ then stretched her arms, yawning loudly with no care in the world about who saw her. Jeongyeon was busy mopping the floor, which she liked to take her time with.

Turning around, Chaeyoung said, "Can I ask something?" Jeongyeon briefly looked up, then hummed and nodded as she continued mopping. "Do you like Seulgi?"

That question made Jeongyeon come to a standstill. Seulgi truly was a beautiful woman, with the most amazing smile, and her compliments did make Jeongyeon blush. Jeongyeon felt shy around Seulgi. A light pink appeared on her cheeks. "She's definitely a very kind person. I do like her."

"Come on, Jeong, you know _exactly_ what I mean."

Jeongyeon _did_ know what Chaeyoung meant.

Mopping proved to be a worthwhile distraction.

Chaeyoung began wiping down the counters, noticing the silence she'd been given from Jeongyeon.

It was a short while before Jeongyeon said, "I can't answer that right now."

"And why not?" Chaeyoung lifted an eyebrow.

"Because I've only just met her. I don't know if I like her in that way or not."

"You know what?" Jeongyeon straightened her back and looked at the younger woman, who turned to face her. "I think you should schedule an early morning walk. One you can go on together."

"Won't that feel like a date? I just don't wanna... you know."

"I get ya. And no, I don't think it will. Unless you find cold, damp air romantic."

There was a pause. "...It could be."

"And that's why _you're_ the hopeless romantic, my friend," Chaeyoung chuckled, patting Jeongyeon on the shoulder before going into the kitchen to continue cleaning up.

Jeongyeon thought about it. It didn't sound like a bad idea.

In fact, it was an idea she was becoming more and more fond of.

\--

Seulgi clocked out at 5:30 and left the office for another day. She let out a tired sigh and began the half an hour journey back home.

On the way, she passed the bakery and noticed the _closed_ sign on the door. Pouting a little, she glanced up to see Jeongyeon waving at her through the window. Seulgi was a little taken aback, but she returned the gesture with a smile nonetheless. Putting the mop to one side, Jeongyeon approached the door and unlocked it before opening it. “Hey,” she greeted.

“Hi. I not long ago left the office, it’s a half an hour walk home for me now.”

“God, really?” Seulgi nodded, hands stuffed in her pockets, the late afternoon autumn air bringing a little wind. A sudden idea popped into Jeongyeon’s mind, and the more she pondered it, the more she thought it was a bad idea.

Tilting her head to the side, Seulgi asked, “You okay?”

“Uh, yeah,” Jeongyeon answered, shaking her head a little, a chuckle following after. “I just uh, I was thinking um…” The more she fumbled over her words, the more Seulgi silently encouraged her to say them. “I wondered if you wouldn’t mind some company.”

A soft smile appeared on Seulgi’s lips. “I’d like that.”

It took a few seconds for the response to register, before Jeongyeon said, “Great! Yeah, cool! Great, um…” She looked around. Chaeyoung appeared behind the counter. “Um, come in, Seulgi, I don’t want you waiting in the cold. Do you- Do you mind waiting? I’m so sorry, I didn’t think ahead, I…”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” Seulgi reassured, stepping into the bakery.

“Hey!” Chaeyoung called. The two women looked in her direction. “You two go, I’ll finish and lock up here.”

“You sure?” Jeongyeon wondered.

Nodding her head vehemently, Chaeyoung grabbed Jeongyeon’s coat from the kitchen then walked around the counter. She approached the two of them and nudged them to leave together, giving Jeongyeon her coat. “Yes! Go, go, I’ll finish clearing up. No problem.”

“Thanks, Chae.” The younger woman nodded her head as the pair left, and she closed the door, locking it once again before getting back to cleaning up.

“She seems very generous,” Seulgi commented.

“She is. Chae’s like a sister to me. We’ve known each other almost all our lives.” Jeongyeon put on her jacket and shuddered a little.

The two walked away from the bakery side by side, though not quite shoulder to shoulder. The air was misty once again, the sun having set not long ago. The streetlamps were casting their orange hue, and it lit the path for the two of them as they stayed in what seemed to be comfortable silence for some time.

Seulgi was the first to break the ice. “How long have you been running that bakery?”

“About three years or so. It was my one dream. Chaeyoung and I always said we would open a bakery one day, and...we did!” Seulgi smiled hearing the story. Jeongyeon’s voice was gentle, friendly. “What about you? How long have you been working in that office?”

“Around five years.” Jeongyeon raised her eyebrows, a little surprised. “Yeah, I left university a few years back and became an intern. They kept me on and here I am, five years later.”

“Does it ever bore you?” Seulgi glanced to the left. “Not saying that all office work is boring, I just, wondered…” Jeongyeon rubbed the nape of her neck nervously.

“It’s fine. It does get a little boring from time to time. I guess your question is, do I wanna stay in an office job for the rest of my life?” Seulgi saw the curious expression on Jeongyeon’s face. The streetlamps reflected in her eyes. Seulgi had to tear her own away. “And...no, I don’t. I do have other ambitions. I’ve always wanted to be a dancer. Dancing is just a hobby for me because, well, I’m sitting at a desk in that giant office block for several hours a day. But if I could, I would leave that place and become a dancer.”

“You will realise your dream one day,” Jeongyeon said. Seulgi appreciated the comment.

Things went silent again as the two of them continued their journey. Every so often, one of them would say something to break the tension and the other would answer. Small talk so they could get to know one another a little better.

By the time they reached Seulgi’s apartment, they knew a bit more.

“Well, this is it,” Seulgi stated, turning to face Jeongyeon. “Thank you for keeping me company.”

“Don’t mention it.” They smiled at one another, and Seulgi bid Jeongyeon goodbye before spinning around and heading towards the front door. “Oh, wait!”

Seulgi stopped. Twisted her body to look at Jeongyeon. “Yeah?”

“Would you like to go on an early morning walk with me?”

"I'd love to."

Jeongyeon smiled. "My apartment's not too far from here. We passed by my neighborhood."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Maybe we could meet up at that lamp post just over there?" She pointed to said lamp post and Seulgi looked towards it.

"Sounds great. What time should we meet up?"

Jeongyeon pondered it. "Is 5:30am too early?"

"5:30am sounds perfect." The two of them exchanged looks before Seulgi gestured towards her door, hinting that she should probably head inside, not wanting to keep Jeongyeon waiting.

"Awesome. I'll...see you at 5:30."

"See you at 5:30."

Jeongyeon watched as Seulgi disappeared into the house. Taking a deep breath in, she exhaled and saw the cloud in front of her. Turning on her heels, she began her journey back home.

Indoors, Seulgi filled up her kettle and switched it on. A cup of tea at the end of a long day was always needed.

Her mind went to Jeongyeon.

She gazed out of her window and began counting the stars she could already see.

_One, two, three, four…_

There was a half moon.

\--

For some reason, that night, neither Jeongyeon nor Seulgi could sleep.

One kept tossing and turning.

One took to staring out of her bedroom window.

Jeongyeon always loved the night sky. It fascinated her for so many reasons. Every time she looked up at it the first thing she would think was that she was staring directly at a part of space. A part of the universe. It reminded her of how vast the universe truly was.

In her mind, Seulgi's face appeared. Her bright smile. Her dazzling eyes. And Jeongyeon _did_ find them dazzling. She found a few stars in the night.

They reminded her of Seulgi.

In bed, Seulgi gazed at the ceiling and huffed. She knew she needed sleep, she had to be awake before 5:30 to meet Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon.

Her name was everywhere in Seulgi's mind, and then her face appeared. Seulgi smiled. She found she smiled often when thinking of Jeongyeon.

Turning her head to the left, she saw a small crack in the curtains where they weren't fully shut, and sat up to peek through them.

It wasn't a completely cloudless night, there were some present in the air. Seulgi silently hoped that no more would come along. She was never a fan of the rain.

Each star twinkled with its own charm. Each one seemed to have a personality of its own. One such star seemed to catch Seulgi's attention.

Strangely, the same star caught Jeongyeon's eye too. It stood out among the rest.

Somehow, upon seeing it, they were able to rest their heads soon after and get a good night's sleep, waking up at 5am like they hoped they would.

The two of them woke to raindrops on their window.

\--

Jeongyeon loved the rain. Something about it was relaxing to her.

Slipping on her shoes and putting on her coat, Jeongyeon left the apartment, locking the door behind her. She put her hood up and her hands in her pockets. Jeongyeon had to constantly remind herself to invest in a pair of gloves one day.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, she saw the time was just before 5:30. She put it back and carried on walking. Ahead of her was the lamp post where she would meet Seulgi. It was tall and cast an orange light, much like every other lamp post surrounding it, but it stood at the corner of the street and was brighter and bigger than the others.

Underneath the light, Seulgi stood waiting.

There was light rain and Seulgi saw droplets hitting the puddle forming in front of her. Her hood was up also and she wore gloves. As much as she didn't like the rain, she preferred this over torrential downpours.

To her right, she saw Jeongyeon approaching and the corners of her lips turned upwards. They made eye contact and Jeongyeon mirrored her expression.

Once they were inches apart, Jeongyeon spoke, "Hi."

"Hey." Their voices seemed to disappear into the wind. "Where should we go?"

"Oh uh--" _'Shit, didn't have a destination in mind.'_

Seulgi could tell instantly. "It's okay. We don't have to go anywhere specific. I just asked in case you had thought of a place."

"Uh, no," Jeongyeon admitted, then apologised, to which Seulgi said that she didn't need to. The blush returned. The shyness hit both of them. They stood, feet rooted to the ground for several seconds until Jeongyeon coughed a little and said, "Shall we?"

"Let's go."

The two of them went wherever their feet took them. They didn't really care where they ended up.

The pair walked. Not quite shoulder to shoulder, but they were closer. Their conversations casual, their laughter loud. They had to keep quiet, remembering that it wasn't even 6am.

Among multiple jokes were tiny life stories, random facts and little anecdotes. Seulgi found herself enjoying Jeongyeon's company, and Jeongyeon very much felt the same.

After half an hour of strolling through the town, they decided to head back to the lamp post. Standing opposite one another, they found themselves at a brick wall.

_Are you gonna ask for her number?_

Jeongyeon almost admired Chaeyoung's need to help her when it came to dating.

But this wasn't a date. They just went for a stroll. They're two new friends. _'Are we friends?'_ Jeongyeon hated her mind for the seemingly stupid questions it asked her sometimes.

But was it a stupid question?

Seulgi noticed that the woman opposite looked a little lost. "Is everything okay?"

In a state of panic, Jeongyeon shook her head a little and found Seulgi's eyes again. "Yes! Yes, everything's fine." Her smile was reassuring, but her eyes said something different. Seulgi didn't want to pry, but also didn't want to leave Jeongyeon behind in case something was wrong.

Before Seulgi could say anything, Jeongyeon spoke first, "You should probably head back. You need to get ready for work."

"Ah, yeah," Seulgi smiled, though now she felt awkward.

"I should be getting back too. This was really nice."

"Yeah, it was."

"We should do it again!" Jeongyeon excitedly proposed, then drew back. "If you… If you wanted to."

"I would." She thought for a little while. "Same time tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

Slightly more awkwardly than the evening before, the two of them parted ways and headed back to their apartments.

Seulgi was worried that she was overthinking.

Jeongyeon was worried because she felt it happening again.

Her heart was beating a little faster. Seulgi's face was in her mind.

It was gonna take her a fortnight to figure out whether this was just a little crush that would soon fade away.

Something told her it would.

And for some reason, more so than ever, she hated it.

\--

Sitting in one of the many conference rooms, tapping the lid of her coffee cup, Seulgi waited for the rest of the team to file in so they could get this meeting over and done with.

She had gone to the bakery that morning to get an americano like always, but much like every other time before the day prior, Jeongyeon was working hard in the kitchen, so they didn't speak to one another.

Jeongyeon wished she had broken away from her work for a few seconds just to say hi.

Seulgi didn't mind; she knew that independently running any business was no joke.

Drinking her coffee, she looked at the time on her watch then glanced at the door to see it open. Her co-workers entered the room and took a seat at the table as she set her cup down, and the person leading the meeting stood at the board at the end of the room with a small remote in his hand. At the centre of the table was a projector, and the team turned their heads to the board to see the head of their department fiddling with his laptop. Within a few seconds there was a presentation on the screen, and they all opened their pads to take notes.

Seulgi would be lying if she said she didn't have to look over at her colleagues notes so she could take down what her boss was saying.

But she couldn't tell a lie, and knew that Sooyoung could see that same expression on her face.

Which meant Seulgi had to tell Sooyoung about her encounter.

 _'What a field day she'll have with_ that _information.'_

She took another sip of coffee.

\--

"Did you ask for her number?" Chaeyoung inquired as she quickly pivoted on the spot.

"Is that _really_ the first thing you ask me?" Jeongyeon called from the kitchen.

"Look, I've just _got_ to know, okay?"

Jeongyeon's head appeared from around the corner. "And why have you _got_ to know?" She disappeared again.

"Because I can see it in your eyes, Jeong. You've got yourself another crush and something tells me _this_ time will be the time it all works out!"

Jeongyeon scoffed a little as she pushed a tray of cakes into the oven and closed it. She set the timer and said, "Why don't you pull out your magic wand and turn a pumpkin into a carriage while you're at it?"

Chaeyoung folded her arms. "And yet you're _still_ somehow the more romantic one."

Brushing down her apron, Jeongyeon left the kitchen. "Listen, just 'cause I like to put my feet up with a tub of ice cream and a glass of wine and watch romance movies every Friday, that doesn't mean I can't be a sceptic."

"You're only sceptical about your own chances at love," Chaeyoung retaliated, turning around. Jeongyeon rolled her eyes and went to go back into the kitchen, when Chaeyoung sighed and said, "I'm sorry. That was going too far."

"No, no, you're right, I am." They looked at each other. "Every single time it just... hasn't happened. Two weeks later, it's like the crush never occurred."

"I've got a feeling this would be the time it all changes though."

"I'm doubtful, but, appreciate your enthusiasm,” Jeongyeon replied, walking back into the kitchen to continue work.

Chaeyoung faced the till again. “I think Seulgi likes you too. You just need to spend more time together. Please tell me you’ve scheduled another dawn walk date.”

“It’s _not_ a date!” Jeongyeon said with gritted teeth, and Chaeyoung laughed. “But yes. We have.” Letting out a cheer, Chaeyoung giggled to herself as Jeongyeon sighed. Thought about her comment earlier.

_Why don’t you pull out your magic wand and turn a pumpkin into a carriage while you’re at it?_

Maybe the magic wouldn’t fade. Maybe _this_ would be the moment where nothing would change once the clock struck midnight.

Her previous experiences left her thoughts unchanged. She _still_ hated that.

\--

Sooyoung appeared at Seulgi’s side and rested a stack of papers on her desk. The action startled Seulgi and she glanced up at the younger woman, seeing the perplexed look on her face. “You okay?”

“I could ask the same thing of you.” Sooyoung put a hand on her hip. “You’ve been in your own little world all day, what’s going on?”

A sigh left Seulgi’s lips. She knew it was coming. “I’ve been...thinking about someone.”

Upon hearing that, Sooyoung stood up straight and folded her arms. The two of them had known each other for ten years, and were best friends. That meant Sooyoung knew Seulgi well.

And _also_ knew what it meant to hear that Seulgi was thinking about someone.

“I see. So, who is she?”

“Her name’s Jeongyeon. She works at the bakery just down the street.”

“Oh yeah, I know the one,” Sooyoung nodded. “How d’ya meet?”

“I went for a walk the other morning. Really early, it was before 5:30. And I bumped into this woman, and she was just staring at the stars. So I got her attention and we started talking. She’s beautiful, and really funny.” The way she spoke was dreamlike, and Sooyoung rolled her eyes at the whole ordeal.

Seulgi fell in love too easily, and more often than not, she was left hurt.

For years, Seulgi didn’t even realise it. She simply fell in love too fast, and whenever she did, it was always with the wrong people.

When Seulgi had a revelation, it made her scared to fall in love ever again. She became more reclusive, more rigid, and didn’t try to strike up any conversations with people in clubs who could potentially become another name on a list of heartbreaks.

And Sooyoung became more protective.

She hated seeing Seulgi hurt, and knew this was the one thing that was a blow to her heart. Sooyoung always helped her through it, every break up where the person on the other end found the harshest way of saying they wanted nothing to do with Seulgi.

Thus, she herself was scared of the day Seulgi would turn to her and utter those words. _I’ve been thinking about someone._

“So let me guess, you’re…”

Seulgi eyed Sooyoung. There were tears in her eyes almost. It felt like a curse.

“I think so, yeah.”

Neither of them wanted history to repeat itself. And Seulgi only saw one way out.

_‘I’ve gotta distance myself.’_

\--

Jeongyeon exhaled as she mopped the floor. Every few seconds, Seulgi’s face appeared in her mind.

Then she thought about her conversation with Chaeyoung.

_I've got a feeling this would be the time it all changes though._

_‘Why would it though?’_ Jeongyeon thought.

She didn’t know why, but every time she thought she had feelings for someone, about a fortnight later, the feelings would suddenly disappear. _It’s like the crush never occurred._ By that point, she would be on a date with someone she could have sworn she really liked, and then would have to let that person down by saying she just didn’t feel the same way.

Jeongyeon had no idea why it happened. Chaeyoung teased her for it in the past, but later realised that it wasn’t funny at all for Jeongyeon to take someone through her rollercoaster of emotions: a promising start, with a disappointing end.

She then thought about Seulgi again. Jeongyeon had truly begun to like her. She was so certain that it would end the same way it always did, despite Chaeyoung’s optimism.

Jeongyeon figured only time will tell.

Looking up, Jeongyeon saw Seulgi pass the bakery. With a smile, she waved, and Seulgi hesitantly waved back, then beckoned her over. Putting the mop to one side, Jeongyeon approached the door, unlocked it, then opened it. The cold instantly entered and she shivered a little. “Hi. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m… I’m good. You?” Seulgi wanted this to be quick but knew it would be rude to not ask Jeongyeon how her day was.

“It was alright. Not as busy though that was expected. Are you heading home? Would you like some company again?” Jeongyeon asked with a smile. Seulgi froze, swallowed the lump in her throat, stared at the ground briefly. When she looked back up she could see a slightly concerned look on Jeongyeon’s face.

“I’m in really quite the rush to get home, I’m so sorry.”

“No, that’s fair! I guess it wouldn’t be fair for me to leave Chaeyoung here two nights in a row. I’ll see you tomorrow morning though, right?”

“Tomo-- Oh, right, that…” Jeongyeon’s face lit up and Seulgi could see it in her eyes. Those eyes were captivating to Seulgi and she could get lost in-- _‘No!’_ she chastised herself. “I’m really sorry, I won’t be able to make our dawn walk um, my...boss has called me in for a really early meeting tomorrow and I can’t miss it, so…”

“Ah, that’s a shame. Maybe some other time?” Jeongyeon hoped.

“Yeah, that sounds great, I’ll uh...see when I’m free.” Seulgi was already backing away at this point, and she waved one final time before turning around.

“Awesome, I’ll see you around!” Jeongyeon called after her. When she turned back to Chaeyoung, she noticed the younger woman pull out her phone and put it to her ear. She had heard the conversation and it finally hit Jeongyeon what she meant. “Wait, Seulgi!”

But when Jeongyeon turned to find Seulgi, she was already gone.

“You could message me about it,” she muttered to herself. Disappointed, Chaeyoung audibly groaned from inside the bakery as she put her phone back in her pocket. Jeongyeon hummed. Something about their conversation felt really strange. _‘Maybe she just had a really stressful day at work and didn’t want to be disturbed. I can understand that. I just hope she’s okay.’_ With a sigh, Jeongyeon shut the door and locked it before returning to her task of mopping the floor.

At home, Seulgi sat on her sofa. She remembered the tears pooling in her eyes at work and felt ridiculous. _‘Why am I crying over Jeongyeon? I’ve only known her a couple of days.’_

She then realised she wasn’t _crying over Jeongyeon._ She was crying at the situation. She was crying at the several heartbreaks. The fact she fell in love too easily and that it left her hurt.

Her tears were for a repetitive past potentially crumbling a changed future.

Lying on her sofa, she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

When Jeongyeon returned home, she kicked off her shoes and immediately went to her bedroom.

Falling onto her bed, she stared at the ceiling and started thinking. She had known Seulgi for almost two days.

How could two days feel like two weeks and two hours at the same time?

_You’re only sceptical when it comes to your own chances at love._

She hated the fact that Chaeyoung was right. The two week curse.

Jeongyeon had been trying to keep herself guarded, not let the crushes get to her so much because she knew they would fade away.

Perhaps _that_ was why this thought that had been circulating in her mind was finally coming to the forefront.

_‘I don’t want to hurt anyone else. If Chaeyoung is right that she likes me, then I don’t want to potentially hurt her. I should keep my distance.’_

With tired eyes, Jeongyeon fell into a deep sleep.

\--

Seulgi found herself going for a walk the following dawn.

Jeongyeon found upon waking up that she no longer cared for early morning walks.

For a few days, the two didn’t see one another, though they would make eye contact from afar.

The pair would be lying if they said they didn’t miss the other person’s company.

For them, it just proved what was always going to be true.

_It just wasn’t going to happen._

\--

“You didn’t even give it a chance to blossom,” Chaeyoung told Jeongyeon. It was Sunday, a few days after Seulgi and Jeongyeon had met, and the two of them were sitting in Jeongyeon’s apartment.

“What’s the point if I know what’s gonna happen?” Jeongyeon wondered.

“Always the cynic. You have _no_ idea what could happen. And you can’t even deny the fact that you’ve got a crush on her.”

“But in a week’s time, that crush is gonna go, and I don’t wanna hurt her in case she _does_ like me.”

“So _that’s_ why you’ve been avoiding her. You think this is the right way of dealing with it? Not being honest is somehow better?” Chaeyoung disapprovingly shook her head before standing up to head to the kitchen.

Rubbing her forehead, Jeongyeon huffed. She thought about the saying: _truth hurts but a lie can kill._

 _'At least talk to her about it,'_ Jeongyeon thought, and pondered it hard.

Perhaps keeping her distance wasn't the best idea.

\--

"Good morning," Sooyoung greeted Seulgi as she placed a mug of coffee on her desk. "That's for you."

"Ah, thanks," Seulgi replied. It was Monday once again. Seulgi stared at the mug. Usually there would be an americano sitting there. She missed those. She missed Jeongyeon.

Deep down, Seulgi knew she hadn't even given it a chance. But that was clouded over with thoughts of protecting herself from any further harm, especially if Sooyoung had anything to do with it.

 _I don't even really know what Jeongyeon's like as a person,_ she had told Sooyoung.

 _Exactly,_ was Sooyoung's only response. Seulgi wanted to explain what she meant, then realised she understood exactly what Sooyoung was getting at. Not finding out what type of person Jeongyeon was felt like she was just judging her based on previous experiences, but those previous experiences made her extremely distrusting of the entire idea of knowing.

It was all too confusing. Seulgi wished she had the answer.

_Look, when you meet a beautiful, funny woman and you talk for several hours, you think they're the most amazing woman. That's why you fall in love so easily. You want to be with them. And then, they either turn out to be cheaters or liars or they're just not compatible with you._

Sooyoung's words never left Seulgi's brain the entire time she sat there staring at her coffee mug. A hand appeared in front of her face and she shook her head.

"You're not daydreaming." It was a statement.

"No," Seulgi replied, taking a sip of coffee.

She may have not been daydreaming, but Jeongyeon's face was in her mind.

_'I've gotta get over her. Get over all of this. This is ridiculous.'_

She endeavoured to try.

\--

For the following week after her and Chaeyoung's conversation, Jeongyeon waited by the door at closing time for Seulgi to pass by so she could talk to her.

But every afternoon, Seulgi didn't appear.

By Friday, Jeongyeon was incredibly worried. When she left the bakery and said goodbye to Chaeyoung, she didn't go straight home.

Instead, she made her way to Seulgi's apartment.

Seulgi was in the kitchen when she heard three knocks on the door. With knitted eyebrows, she stepped out of the kitchen and towards the front door, then opened it.

"Hey, Seulgi."

"Oh, hi, Jeongyeon…" This was the last person she expected to see. But she still felt happy to see her.

"I need to talk to you. I know this sounds crazy, I mean we've known each other barely two weeks but…"

 _'Don't say it, don't say it, don't say what I think you're going to say.'_ Seulgi felt her shoulders tense and she gripped onto the door handle tightly.

"The truth is I miss your company. I miss talking to you, and I know I've sorta been keeping my distance. I'm sorry, and I wanna tell you why that happened."

Initially, Seulgi was confused, then recognised that even though she hadn't approached Jeongyeon at all, Jeongyeon also hadn't approached her. She then figured it would be a bad idea to turn her away now, if Jeongyeon really wanted to tell her it must be something important. Seulgi was honoured that Jeongyeon thought she should know.

Stepping to the side, Seulgi nodded and allowed Jeongyeon to enter, which she did, taking off her shoes and thanking Seulgi in the process. Shutting the door, Seulgi led Jeongyeon into the lounge where they sat beside one another on the sofa.

For Seulgi, she was becoming more worried about what had happened.

For Jeongyeon, this conversation was reminding her of all the others she had ever had with people she had to let down. Though Jeongyeon wasn't really letting Seulgi down. The two weeks weren't over. Jeongyeon didn't know Seulgi's feelings. She worried why Seulgi kept her distance though felt it wasn't her place to ask.

"This is gonna sound really weird," Jeongyeon began, "but, I basically have a curse."

Seulgi lifted an eyebrow. "A...curse?"

"Yeah. You know like in Cinderella when the clock strikes midnight and everything turns back into their original form?" Seulgi nodded. "It's like that, but with...crushes."

At that, Seulgi felt her heart pound furiously.

"What I mean is, I'll meet someone, I'll find I really like them, and then two weeks later, the magic fades and the crush goes away and it's like it never happened." They stared into one another's eyes. Seulgi could tell Jeongyeon wasn't lying. "It's really annoying because I'll meet someone, we'll click, go on a couple dates and then two weeks later I'll have to tell that person that I just don't feel the same way anymore. Now, I'm telling you this because, well…"

 _'Don't say it, do_ not _say it.'_

"I like you."

_'Shit, fuck, no, no!'_

"The two weeks aren't over yet. I'll actually know Tuesday whether or not this curse has lived on but I just felt like you needed to know because I do like you a lot." _'And I'm worried that the curse_ will _live on.'_

"Right, thank you for telling me," Seulgi said rather abruptly.

The curt response took Jeongyeon aback. "I, uh…" _'It's not my place to ask, but I just want to know if she's okay.'_ "I also just wanted to know if you were alright."

"What? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I've just been really stressed out with work lately, many deadlines to meet and such."

"Right, right."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just been…" _'I've been trying to get over you because I have my own fucking curse and now I don't even know if it's worth it for me to tell you because I like you a lot too but come Tuesday you might not have any feelings so I'm holding back.'_ "A nightmare."

"Reminds me of college essays." A light chuckle escaped both of them, though one was more forced than the other. "I should probably leave you to it, I'm sorry for disturbing you, I just thought you needed to know."

They both stood up. "No, thank you, thank you for telling me." _'You like me too.'_ "I'm glad you did." _'But this might all blow over in a week.'_ "Thank you." They both walked to the front door. Seulgi opened it as Jeongyeon put on her coat and shoes. With a smile, Jeongyeon stepped out and Seulgi watched her go before shutting the door.

Those three words were now stuck in Seulgi's head. It was going to be even harder to get over Jeongyeon.

_'If she has a curse and her crushes fade after two weeks, it'll probably happen with me too.'_

She hated the idea of that.

\--

For the first time since she went on a dawn walk with Seulgi, Jeongyeon wrapped up warm and stepped out of her apartment just before 5:30. She missed the morning air. Looking up into the sky, she could see the stars. Every so often, she stopped and counted the stars in the sky.

Some time later she found herself leaning against the lamppost where she met Seulgi. Once again, she stared into the sky and began counting the stars.

_One, two, three, four…_

"I always find there are too many stars to count."

Jeongyeon recognised that voice. She looked down and to the right and saw Seulgi some distance away.

"Yeah, there's a lot of them."

Seulgi glanced over at her. Tired eyes and messy hair. She was gorgeous.

_'I need to tell her.'_

Rolling her shoulders back, Seulgi closed the distance between herself and the younger woman and sighed. "There's something I need to say."

Jeongyeon stood up straight. "What's up?"

"You know yesterday you came to my apartment and told me about your curse." Jeongyeon nodded. "Well, I too have one. I fall in love with people really fast and really easily. And all of the time it's ended badly. They weren't the right people. My best friend has been by my side through it all. She's now really protective of me. I've always tried to work out why I fall in love too easily but," she shrugged, "nothing. I'm saying this because it happened with you."

Everything began to fall into place. "Oh my God."

"Yeah. So I fall in love too easily and you might not even have feelings after Monday."

What were the odds too women unlucky in love would meet?

"I'm not gonna lie to you. I don't want it to happen this time around," Jeongyeon confessed. "I don't want this to be another case of it fading away because this...feels different. It just does, and I know if I wake up Tuesday and all those feelings are gone then…"

"You'll know I'm not the right person."

"And I _really_ like you." Even in the cold, Seulgi felt her cheeks burn. "Something tells me it's all gonna change."

"I really like you too. And something tells me this is different as well. Sooyoung would disagree with me there but, it's just a feeling I get."

"You've been on my mind constantly, Seulgi. _That's_ what tells me."

At that moment, Seulgi had a sudden thought. _'I want to kiss you.'_

Jeongyeon had the same thought too. They took a step closer. Both of them held back.

"I should probably head home," Seulgi said.

"Let's walk together," Jeongyeon offered, and when Seulgi glanced down, her eyes widened slightly at seeing Jeongyeon holding her hand out.

This seemed to be a make or break. Why was this such a big deal?

Seulgi smiled and moved to hold Jeongyeon's hand, interlocking their fingers, and the two of them had never felt so right about something before.

Maybe this would be the moment everything changed.

Yet even as they looked at one another, mist giving way to clear skies as they walked, there was still a heavy feeling of doubt sitting at the back of their minds.

\--

"So, you told her about your curse," Sooyoung said as she sat across from Seulgi, eating her lunch.

"I knew I couldn't keep it from her. Especially after she told me she had one of her own."

"Oh so you're _both_ unlucky, well, what are the chances of that, eh?" Sooyoung's tone seemed incredibly sarcastic and Seulgi gave her a look of disapproval. "What?"

"Well this is kinda a big deal like, I thought I was trying to get over her--"

 _"Thought."_ Another glare from Seulgi.

"I thought I was getting over her and it turns out not only does she have the same feelings for me, but those feelings could go on Tuesday. She basically has a two week thing where she has a crush on someone, and then two weeks later those feelings fade and it's like it never happened."

Sooyoung took the information in. "Well, if they do then that means you could actually start to get over her."

"Here's the thing, neither of us want that to happen."

Sooyoung cocked an eyebrow. "So you know Jeongyeon, right? You know everything about her? Completely trust her?"

"Sooyoung…"

"I'm just looking out for you!"

"Well sometimes it can come across as overbearing. You act like my mother, and I'm _older_ than you!"

"Because I've seen your feelings fucked with too many times!" Sooyoung huffed.

Taking a deep breath, Seulgi folded her arms and watched a now slightly peeved Sooyoung eat her lunch. "Look, I understand you wanna help me. I understand you wanna look out for me. And I thank you for that. But please, give me a chance now to work things out for myself and deal with it _if_ it goes to shit."

 _"When_ it goes to shit," Sooyoung corrected.

"You're always way more pessimistic."

"Years of seeing your best friend treated like shit will do that to you."

They locked eyes. "Alright then. Meet her yourself."

"Huh?"

"Meet Jeongyeon yourself. Come to the bakery with me after work."

Sooyoung's eyes travelled the room then landed back on Seulgi. "Won't it be closed?"

"It will be but, just trust me, okay?"

"Fine, fine," Sooyoung relented. The two of them went silent again. Seulgi drank from her can of lemonade.

_'This will be interesting.'_

\--

"I'm proud of you for telling her," Chaeyoung stated.

"Well you were right. It wasn't fair for me to keep it from her and then just expect it to all blow over come Tuesday."

"Wow." Chaeyoung put her hands on her hips. Jeongyeon looked up. "That is the _first_ time you've not made some sort of cynical statement about the situation. I'm genuinely surprised." Jeongyeon chuckled a little, then went back to mopping.

"Like you said, this time could be different."

"Will be, friend, _will_ be," Chaeyoung said concretely, tapping the blonde on the shoulder before disappearing into the kitchen.

Jeongyeon briefly stopped and thought for a moment. Thought about how it felt to hold Seulgi's hand. She thought herself confident for offering, and her heart warmed when Seulgi interlocked their fingers.

It all felt right.

What could possibly go wrong?

At that moment, she heard a few taps on the window. Looking up, Jeongyeon saw Seulgi smile and wave, with another taller woman standing behind her. Jeongyeon put the mop aside and opened the door, greeting Seulgi and allowing the two women to step inside before shutting it again.

"Jeongyeon, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Sooyoung."

"Nice to meet you," Jeongyeon said, smiling widely.

"Pleasure's all mine," Sooyoung responded. "I take it Seulgi's told you a lot about me." Seulgi nudged her and Sooyoung couldn't help but chuckle.

"A little. Like the fact you're quite protective of her. My best friend is the same. Chaeyoung!" Upon hearing her name, Chaeyoung left the kitchen and moved to stand to Jeongyeon's right. Putting her arm around the younger woman, Jeongyeon said, "Sooyoung, meet Chaeyoung."

The two shook hands and Chaeyoung said, "Nice to meet you! I suppose we're the overprotective best friends."

"Seems that way," Sooyoung replied, a little smile on her lips.

For a few seconds, nothing was said. Then, Sooyoung spoke up, directing her question at Chaeyoung, "Could I talk to you, please? In private?"

"Yeah, sure," Chaeyoung replied. "You can come into the kitchen, no big deal."

"Thank you." The pair left Jeongyeon and Seulgi alone, opposite one another.

"I have to say," Seulgi began, "you were quite bold to offer your hand." At that, Sooyoung and Chaeyoung both turned on the spot with shocked expressions. Seulgi almost panicked. "To hold! To hold…" The other two women calmed down and went into the kitchen.

"Ha, yeah I thought it was quite bold."

"But I liked it though. Holding your hand that is. I mean, yeah, that is what I--" Jeongyeon smiled softly and Seulgi went red in the face. "Yeah."

"Would you wanna do it again? Hold my hand, I mean."

"Yes! Yes, I would. Yeah." To each other, they were rather endearing.

Jeongyeon looked around. "Shall we sit and wait for the best friends to finish their chat? I can make us a coffee?"

The corners of Seulgi's lips turned upwards. "I'd like that."

As Seulgi found a seat, Jeongyeon went behind the counter to make two coffees. Every so often, their eyes would find one another.

Lit up like the stars in the night sky.

Meanwhile, Chaeyoung founded a secluded spot in the far back corner of the kitchen. When she turned around, she said, "I think I can hazard a guess as to why you wanna talk to me."

"Well as someone who's also best friends with a woman with a curse related to love, I'm not surprised."

Chaeyoung laughed at that. "Well, jokes aside, I think we both just want what's best for them."

"True." Sooyoung nodded her once with conviction.

"So, Jeongyeon told me Seulgi falls in love with people really quickly. And that means she often gets hurt because it's always with the wrong people."

"Yeah, that's usually the case."

Chaeyoung could see the wall in front of Sooyoung. She imagined Seulgi was standing behind her. "Well, I just want you to know, I've known Jeongyeon all my life. She isn't a cheater, or a liar. She's up front, honest, awkward at times but incredibly caring. She pours her heart and soul into her passions and she cares greatly about the people she loves." Sooyoung watched Chaeyoung curiously. "I'm saying this because I understand how it feels to be constantly cheated and left aside. Jeongyeon has always been there for me. Through thick and thin she never backed down. And I can see that she really likes Seulgi and has grown to care about her a ton. I know she would never push Seulgi aside."

Sooyoung nodded slowly. She just wanted to be there for her best friend. She thought about Seulgi's words from earlier on in the day. They had been playing on her mind constantly.

_'Perhaps I should step to the side.'_

"Seulgi tells me that Jeongyeon has a two week thing."

"Yeah, yeah," Chaeyoung shrugged. "Two weeks and then suddenly, nothing. But Jeongyeon's been acting differently. She's never been like this before with her other crushes. That's what tells me that come Tuesday, those feelings will still be there."

"Well, earlier on today, I told Seulgi that if Jeongyeon's feelings _did_ go, that she could start to get over her, but now...I don't think that'll be the case. I think it'd be even harder. Because even though, yes, Seulgi _does_ fall in love easily, it's taken on a new form this time around. Like early morning walks. Seulgi _hates_ being up earlier than what her alarm dictates she should wake up, and even then she sleeps in. It's surprising that she always manages to be on time." Chaeyoung listened attentively. "And since she's met Jeongyeon she's got a newfound appreciation for dawn walks."

"That's funny. Jeongyeon _loves_ going on dawn walks, she doesn't miss a single one. Except over this past week."

"Wow, really?" Sooyoung asked, and Chaeyoung nodded.

"I don't know why, I feel like something really good could come from this. Maybe we should let this one figure itself out."

Sooyoung locked eyes with Chaeyoung. She relaxed. "Maybe you're right."

While they were having their chat, Jeongyeon made the coffees and sat across from Seulgi, placing the mug down in front of her.

"Thank you," Seulgi said.

"Don't mention it." The warmth from the cup was inviting, and Jeongyeon wrapped her hands around it.

"I guess we know what they're talking about," Seulgi remarked, and Jeongyeon chuckled.

"Kinda crazy we both have these curses."

"Makes me feel like I'm in a fairytale," Seulgi snorted, and lifted her mug to take a sip.

Jeongyeon watched Seulgi. Everything about her was so captivating. Her eyes, her smile, her sense of humour. Jeongyeon loved getting to know her.

She couldn't believe there was a chance it would all go away just like that. She drank her coffee.

Seulgi eyed Jeongyeon. Since she had met Jeongyeon, Seulgi had been wondering what it was about this time around that made it so unlike the others. She wondered if it was timing or the location. When their eyes met it was like everything made sense yet none of her questions were being answered.

_'Why does this feel so different?'_

Holding her hand felt different. Talking with her felt different. It was magical. Unlike anything else she had experienced. Truly like being in a fairytale.

But it also didn't just feel like another case of falling in love too hard, too quickly. She might have _thought_ that, but as she sat there, drinking her coffee, making eye contact and small talk with Jeongyeon, she realised that it wasn't that at all.

Seulgi _hadn't_ fallen in love.

She simply liked Jeongyeon a lot.

She cared about her. She wanted to go on a date with her. She had _feelings_ but it wasn't love.

Not yet.

And that is what made Seulgi want to cry. Her curse had been lifted. This was the first time she had feelings first, and love second.

It had been given a chance to _grow._

"Jeongyeon?"

"Hm?"

"This may be a crazy proposal, but, you know how you said Tuesday was the make or break?"

Jeongyeon didn't like the way that came out, but she couldn't deny it was true. "Yeah."

"If it's make," she looked up to see Sooyoung and Chaeyoung exit the kitchen, "meet me at the lamppost at the corner of the street, Tuesday, 6pm. If you don't show up, I'll know it's break and come to the bakery Wednesday evening. We can talk about it then."

It took a few seconds for the words to register, but once Jeongyeon understood, she nodded once, and Seulgi finished her coffee with a smile.

"Shall we go then?" Sooyoung said, appearing at the table.

"Yep, let's go," Seulgi replied, standing up. Chaeyoung saw the two of them out and once they were gone, she appeared before Jeongyeon and asked her what she said. When Jeongyeon told her, Chaeyoung held onto her hands.

"I think you'll be meeting her Tuesday evening."

Jeongyeon's heart was beating. _'I hope so.'_

As they walked home, Seulgi relayed what she had said to Sooyoung.

"That's fair. Let me know how it goes Tuesday evening."

Seulgi halted for a few seconds, then understood what Sooyoung had said. She smiled, then carried on walking.

Both of them hoped it would be _make._

\--

Tuesday arrived fairly quickly. Seulgi was nervous throughout the whole day, counting down the hours until she could go home, get ready and hopefully meet Jeongyeon at the lamppost.

She was confident, but the tiny shred of doubt she tried desperately hard to push away was still there.

She kept herself busy with work, hoping it would make the hours go by a lot faster.

Finally, it was 5pm, and she clocked out and headed home, purposefully avoiding the bakery. She wanted to know at 6pm, see Jeongyeon approach her from afar.

Taking a deep breath, she headed home and started getting ready.

Fifteen minutes before 6pm, Seulgi left her apartment to wait beneath the lamppost for Jeongyeon to arrive. The lamppost still shone a bright orange, and it lit up the surrounding path.

It was a fairly misty evening, though not as much as it would be at dawn.

For Seulgi, this had to be a sign.

Each minute that passed was agonising.

Every so often, she checked her watch. 5:51. 5:52. 5:53. 5:54. 5:55.

Five minutes left. Seulgi looked around, almost hoping Jeongyeon would arrive early.

She didn't want to immediately walk away, there was always a possibility Jeongyeon could be late. Life happens.

Then she realised: she never even got Jeongyeon's number.

"Oh my God," she muttered to herself. She checked her watch again. 5:57. Seulgi took a deep breath in then exhaled, seeing the air in front of her face. She looked around, and then in the direction of Jeongyeon's neighborhood. She would have been able to see Jeongyeon from a distance by now. 5:58. Seulgi was becoming more and more worried. She pivoted on the spot; the biting cold was a little stronger.

5:59.

Jeongyeon wasn't anywhere to be seen. There was no sign of her. Seulgi was rooted to the spot. She hoped that Jeongyeon would appear any second.

6:00.

The streets were nearly empty. Seulgi gazed around. There wasn't even a distant voice.

_'Again, she's probably just late.'_

She waited a few more minutes. Then a few more. The worry crept in. The doubt became stronger. She stared at her watch. 6:10.

_'Okay, maybe she's just fashionably late.'_

Another couple of minutes.

Then Seulgi remembered what she said.

And the truth was, it wasn't 6pm anymore.

Turning on her heels, Seulgi began walking away from the lamppost, feeling her eyes begin to brim with tears.

_'Maybe it just wasn't supposed to happen.'_

Maybe. Maybe. Maybe…

From behind her, Seulgi began to hear quick footsteps. She knitted her eyebrows yet didn't turn around and carried on walking.

But then…

"Oh my God, Seulgi!" Jeongyeon's breathless voice caused Seulgi to pivot on the spot and see the blonde woman standing there, hands resting on her knees as she stopped. Straightening her back, Jeongyeon slowly closed the distance. "I'm so sorry I'm late, I had to run a few--" In an instant, Seulgi ran up to Jeongyeon and pressed a kiss to her cheek. The gesture froze Jeongyeon for a few seconds. "...Errands."

Seulgi's smile widened and Jeongyeon could see that her eyes were glassy. Jeongyeon wanted to hug her so tightly. "It's okay, honestly."

They stared at one another. Jeongyeon lightly touched her cheek. "You kissed my cheek."

They stared into one another's eyes for a few seconds. Seulgi tugged at the inside of her bottom lip. "Can I kiss you?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

They leaned into one another, and tilting her head to one side, Jeongyeon captured Seulgi's lips in a way so unexpected that it caught her off guard slightly as she moved her hand to cup Jeongyeon's cheek. It was an unhurried kiss, slow and affectionate as Jeongyeon grabbed Seulgi's waist and pulled her closer. Gradually, Seulgi moved her hand down across Jeongyeon's jacket before throwing her arms around her neck completely. Jeongyeon dug her hand inside Seulgi's coat and could feel the material of her shirt. Without missing a beat, Seulgi instantly thread her fingers through Jeongyeon's hair. The kiss lasted longer than they had envisioned and eventually, they had to pull away to take a breath.

Above them, the street lamp shone. The same orange hue.

"It didn't happen," Jeongyeon said. "They didn't go. If anything, they're stronger now you've kissed me."

Seulgi chuckled then kissed her once again, wrapping her arms around Jeongyeon's neck. Once they pulled away, Seulgi asked, "Shall we head back to my place?" Her voice was a mere whisper. Jeongyeon smiled and nodded, and Seulgi did the same as she took Jeongyeon's hand, interlocking their fingers. Together, they walked back to Seulgi's apartment.

Once they were in the warmth of the lounge, they sat side by side on the sofa, a bottle of wine and two glasses on the coffee table in front of them. They poured each other a drink then clinked glasses. Taking a sip, Seulgi rested her head on Jeongyeon's shoulder, Jeongyeon wrapping her free arm around the older woman.

Things were quiet for a while, with nothing but the sound of a record playing a soft piano tune. They finished their first glass, and quickly moved onto the second, before deciding not to finish the wine.

A few hours passed, their night spent on talking and listening to music.

Once their laughter had died down after a particularly funny story, Jeongyeon glanced at Seulgi. Something was building up inside of her. She saw Seulgi card her fingers through her hair and sighed. 

This would be the best time to finally ask.

"Hey, Seulgi?" Looking to the left, Seulgi hummed. Jeongyeon saw nothing but love and care in Seulgi's eyes.

She was the woman Jeongyeon had fallen in love with.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

A bright smile appeared and Seulgi pressed a kiss to Jeongyeon's lips that was happily reciprocated. "Absolutely," she whispered against Jeongyeon's lips. Jeongyeon kissed her once more, and then again. Seulgi rested her head on the other's shoulder, and soon enough, they began to hear fireworks.

A light huff escaped the younger woman. "I don't know whether to be excited or annoyed," she confessed, earning a giggle from Seulgi.

The two of them stood up and went to the window, and in the distance, they saw the fireworks display and watched, almost entranced.

Then, out of the blue, Seulgi kissed Jeongyeon's cheek. Jeongyeon looked at her and captured her lips once more. When she pulled away, she tucked a strand of hair behind Seulgi's ear and tilted her chin up. Another kiss that lasted that little bit longer.

When they broke the kiss and looked into one another's eyes, Jeongyeon had a thought.

It lingered even as Seulgi rested her head on her shoulder and watched the display. She put her arm around Seulgi and watched the fireworks too.

Jeongyeon smiled at the thought.

_'To misty mornings and clear night skies, I say, thank you.'_


End file.
